Man dies after falling about 100 feet while hiking in Alum Rock Park

SAN JOSE -- A man who was hiking in rugged terrain Saturday at Alum Rock Park in San Jose died after falling about 100 feet, according to a fire department captain.

The man, who was hiking alone, fell sometime Saturday, according to San Jose fire Capt. Reggie Williams. San Jose park rangers spent several hours searching for the hiker Sunday and found him at about 2 p.m.

On Monday, the Santa Clara County Coroner's office, along with the sheriff's office rescue team and volunteer San Jose Search and Rescue, were working on a plan to get the man's body out of the park.

"Walking him out would be rigorous, though a creek, rocks and rugged terrain," Williams said. "The second option is back up."

The San Jose Search and Rescue team is a group of trained volunteers with technical rescue and recovery training, including using low and high angle ropes.

Authorities have not determined how the victim fell, Williams said.

Santa Clara police received a missing persons report sometime around midnight Saturday regarding a man who had gone hiking in Alum Rock Park. A Santa Clara County Sheriff's deputy found the missing man's vehicle in the Alum Rock parking lot. As law enforcement began getting search and rescue teams organized, a park ranger found a body, according to Santa Clara police Lt. Kurt Clarke.

The Santa Clara County Coroner's Office will identify the hiker once they have notified his family.